From July 5 through September 1, part of Disney's Hollywood Studios transforms into Frozen's Arendelle when the park launches a series of new guest experiences for the movie's fans.

According to Disney Parks Blog, visitors become immersed in Anna and Elsa's world when they visit the following new attractions:

Anna and Elsa's Royal Welcome

Frozen's royal sisters travel down Hollywood Boulevard in a horse-drawn sleigh. Kristoff joins in the procession with skaters, skiers and ice cutters. The procession ends at the Sorcerer's Hat stage for a special finale. Note: no Fastpass+ reservations available for this experience.

Everyday at 11 a.m.

For the First Time in Forever

A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration: Visitors enter the Premiere Theater to join Queen Elsa, Princess Anna and the Royal Historians of Arendelle for a multimedia retelling of their kingdom's history. Projections, lighting and special effects bring the show to life, and the audience has a chance for sing-along moments, too. At the end of the event, every audience member becomes an "Honorary Citizen of Arendelle." Note: No Fastpass+ reservations available for this experience

Oaken and his cousins create a Frozen Funland inside Soundstage One. Winter activities include an ice skating rink featuring the cousins and visitors can rent skates to show off their skills. Ice artists carve characters from giant blocks of ice. The "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" area hosts many other winter activities while Oaken has his Trading Post open for visitors to buy hot cocoa and delicious treats. Those looking for some great photo opportunities can stop at a virtual setting with the animated versions of the film's characters. Note: No Fastpass+ reservations available for this experience.

Area opens at park opening and remains open until 8 p.m. (no Extra Magic Hours)

Coolest Summer Dance Party

A live band and DJ slide onto the main stage to pump up the party with popular songs and a few tunes from Frozen.

Each day from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Take-Along Olaf

Visitors could receive a "Take-Along Olaf" they carry with them during their park visit. Cast Members encourage participants to take photos with Olaf and post them on social media, including the hashtag "OlafSummerVacation. Just before the nightly Frozen Fireworks celebrations, tagged photos from throughout the day can be seen on a the big screen during the pre-show event.

Throughout the day

Frozen Fireworks

Mickey's Sorcerer Hat on Hollywood Boulevard transforms into a Frozen wonderland and fireworks light up the sky. Queen Elsa even makes a special appearance to show the crowd how to produce "magically blue and white gleaming fireworks." Note: From August 17 through September 1, the fireworks show time changes to 9:15 p.m. due to the Villains Unleashed special-ticket event.

At 9:45 every night

Visitors should know that none of the Frozen characters offer meet-and-greet opportunities at Disney's Hollywood Studios. To meet Anna and Elsa, visitors should head over to the Princess Fairytale Hall at the Magic Kingdom.

Two new VIP tour experiences offer thrillseekers and young families a chance to have a day filled with easy ride access, delicious food and fun across three Walt Disney World theme parks.

The Ultimate Day for Thrill Seekers and The Ultimate Day for Young Families both begin at 8:15 a.m. at the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant. Regular park admission must be purchased to enter the Magic Kingdom before the tour begins. After check-in, participants go to their designated tour group to meet their expert guide and start their day. The tour includes back stage transportation between the three theme parks. Both tours last between six and seven hours.

Each tour offers an itinerary suited to make a magical day based on the group's ages and interests. The VIP Experience offers a complementary lunch at a resort table-service restaurant. VIP tour members receive "line-free" access to the park' rides and attractions, as well.

The Ultimate Day for Thrill Seekers includes rides on:

Magic Kingdom

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Haunted Mansion

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Space Mountain

Splash Mountain

Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest

Dinosaur

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Star Tours

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Toy Story Midway Mania

Note: All guests must meet the minimum height requirement of 48" to participate in the VIP tour. Guests under 18 years old must have an adult present to go on the tour.

The Ultimate Day for Young Families includes:

Magic Kingdom

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

"it's a small world"

Peter Pan's Flight

The Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini

Tomorrowland Speedway

Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Festival of the Lion King

Kilimanjaro Safaris

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney Junior Live on Stage

Toy Story Midway Mania.

Note: This tour does not require a minimum height required. All guests under 18 years old must have an adult present to go on the tour.

Walt Disney World offers these tours every Sunday, Tuesday and Friday only.

During a recent visit to the Magic Kingdom, MousePlanet.com writer and photographer J. Jeff Kober confirmed various Internet reports of a lengthy refurbishment to Cinderella's Royal Table, one of Walt Disney World's most popular character dining experiences.

Magic Kingdom officials schedule a major refurbishment project Cinderella's Royal Table from January 5, 2015 through March 6, 2105. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Officials say the restaurant shuts down January 5, 2015 and should reopen by March 7, 2015.

Walt Disney World visitors looking for an alternative Disney Princess dining experience can visit Epcot's Akershus Banquet Hall located in the World Showcase's Norway pavilion. Among the Disney Princess who may participate in the Storybook Dining experience are Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Princess Aurora and Ariel.

The 19th annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival doesn't begin until September 19, but Tables in Wonderland wants to give members a sneak peek at this year's festivities with its "Taste Your Way Around the World" event.

On Saturday, July 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at East Hall located in Epcot's World Showcase pavilion, event guests can sample a variety of international foods and drinks in addition to hearing speakers offering a first glance at all the new experiences coming to the 2014 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.

The event features a buffet reception and a plated dinner option with menu items such as:

Tickets cost $143.78 per person (tax and gratuity included) and can only be purchased and used by Tables in Wonderland members. Tables in Wonderland only has 250 seats available for this event, so visit the official event website to reserve a seat soon.

MousePlanet sponsor TouringPlans.com reports several changes made to Walt Disney World Resort theme parks for the remainder of 2014.

Officials extended Magic Kingdom's hours for many of its days, including the addition of Extra Magic Hours on Saturday evenings. However, they removed Extra Magic Hours on Sunday and Monday evenings at the park. Another addition includes more Main Street Electrical parade performances.

Over at Disney's Hollywood Studios, officials also added on hours to many days and added additional Fantasmic! showings. Visitors should check TouringPlans.com or a times guide to find out specific performance times and changes made to Extra Magic Hours.

Disney's Animal Kingdom officials also extended park hours for many of its days and changed Morning Extra Magic Hours to primarily on Sunday, with a few exceptions.

Disney's Swan and Dolphin Hotel hosts a "Taproom Takeover" from July 2 to 8 and invites visitors to come sample regionally brewed craft beers at the Cabana Bar and Beach Club. The hotel teams up with Tampa's Cigar City Brewing to serve a variety of craft beer on eight taps.

Disney's Wilderness Lodged recently scheduled a refurbishment of its Silver Creek Springs Pool from September 3 through late November 2014.

Hotel guests can use Hidden Springs Pool, the leisure pool at The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, during the closure.

Two neighboring resorts invite Wilderness Lodge guests to visit the fun and refreshing pools at their locations. At Disney’s Contemporary Resort, guests can delight in the splashing fun of the Main Pool, including its 135-foot waterslide. At Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, guests can check out the exciting waters of the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool, featuring a hot tub for adults and water play areas for the kids!

The Wilderness Lodge intends to offer convenient and complimentary transportation to both neighboring resorts.

Walt Disney World's latest contest, "Recreate the Magic," invites entrants to recall magical memories made during a previous trip, which could win them a future trip to Walt Disney World including:

An 8 day/7 night vacation package for six people to the Walt Disney World Resort

Round trip airfare for six people (the winner and five guests)

Round trip airport transfers to and from the Walt Disney World Resort (Magical Express service)

Accommodations at one 2-bedroom suite or villa at a Walt Disney World hotel

Six 8-day Magic Your Way Tickets with Park Hopper option

One $800 Disney gift card

Winner's choice of any Disney PhotoPass product valued up to $300

A welcome basket for the winner

One Disney character dining experience for six people

VIP viewing for one Disney theme park parade or show for six people (determined by sponsor)

One Disney Signature Dining experience for six people (determined by sponsor)

In an effort to keep the contest's "throwback" theme, all entries must include a photo of people having a great time at Walt Disney World (preferably between 1971 and 1990, but not limited to that time period) along with a brief (no longer than 1,500 words) description of the magical memory experienced in the photo.

As July begins, Disney Parks Blog released a summary of the month's events happening around Walt Disney World. Whether you're looking to celebrate Christmas in July, meet a Disney artist, or are into doll collection, July has a lot to offer beyond the parks.

July 1–4 and July 17–20 International artist Larry Dotson makes appearances at the Art of Disney Store at Epcot from July 1–4 and then moves over to the Art of Disney Store from July 17–20. His work appears in all four Walt Disney World theme parks, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney Cruise Lines and more.

July 3 and July 24–27: Artist Showcase: David E. Doss appears at the Art of Disney store in Downtown Disney. Doss' work appears all over Disney Theme Parks and the Disney Cruise Line.

July 1–27: Precious Moments Doll Showcase. The beautiful dolls return to the Walt Disney Resort at the Once Upon a Toy Store in Downtown Disney to celebrate the released of new dolls Dumbo and Periwinkle. Precious Moments designer Linda Rick joins the showcase on July 3–6 to talk about her work.

In this week's photo tour, we catch up with construction progress at Walt Disney World's Polynesian Resort and the Magic Kingdom.

Walt Disney World's Polynesian Resort

Looking down from the bridge to the monorail, a construction road has been cut near where the entry fountain to the hotel was entering into the building on the far right. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

The new island units at DIsney's Polynesian Village Resort has taken on roof tiles and sliding glass doors. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

The cast member cafeteria has been converted to a casual dining area for guests staying at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort during construction. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Based on this artwork dressing the construction fences at the resort, the Goddess Uh Oa may appear soon at the new Trader Sam's. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Magic Kingdom

Construction continues on the Central Plaza area at Magic Kingdom. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

The exteriors at The Enchanted Tiki Room are still under construction. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

New areas are dedicated to helping tour groups make FastPass+ arrangements during their stay at the parks. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Quick takes

... Pop music princess Ariana Grande celebrated her 21st birthday at Walt Disney World last week. During the celebration, Mickey Mouse met the singing star in front of Cinderella Castle, followed by a special Bibbidi Bobbidi Blue birthday cake presented by none other than Prince Charming and Cinderella. Visit the official Disney Parks Blog for event photos and video.

...The ESPN Wide World of Sports hosted the Drew Brees Passing Academy, where more than 300 high school athletes from around the country came to learn from the NFL Super Bowl MVP Quarterback Drew Brees, as well as other NFL stars Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals), Darren Sproles (Philadelphia Eagles), and Darrelle Revis (New England Patriots.) Following training and conditioning, the students played in a 7-on-7 tournament to benefit the The Brees Dream Foundation.

...Do you love to take fun photos? Want to win a Walt Disney World vacation? Then, take a look at Disney's latest contest: Be the 8th Miner for your chance to win. One lucky person wins the grand prize: an eight day, seven night vacation for four people to Walt Disney World including airfare, Magical Express transfers to a Walt Disney World resort, four 7-Day Magic Your Way Park Hopper Tickets, an $800 Disney gift card, a character meet and greet photo opportunity and winner's choice of any Disney Photopass service, up to $300.The contest, which ends July 22, asks entrants to show off their "Seven Dwarfs-inspired skills" with pictures or smartphone video. Each week, the official Be the 8th Miner website publishes a new challenge for entrants to use as inspiration for their pictures and/or videos. Once entrants submit their photo or video, they need to follow @WaltDisneyWorld on Twitter and tweet their entry with the hashtag #8thMinerContest. The Be the 8th Miner contest has a number of specific rules to follow to make sure your entry does not violate any copyrights, so please go to the official rules website and read them carefully before you enter.

Going back to Disney World for the first time since 2009. I know they have a whole new system since the last time I went and was wondering if anyone had some good resources to read up on about the new Fastpass+ and My Magic bands? I don't know if it complicates the matter, but I will be going with family and staying at Shades of Green, and we are going to be using the military discounts for the park hopper passes; do they use the new system too? Or is everything kind of integrated?

Also if anyone happens to know what might be closing down for refurbishment around that time, that would be helpful also. Thanks!

The MousePlanet Newsletter is here!

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Do you write or blog about Walt Disney World or Disney-related topics? Do you have a Disney-related YouTube channel or independent website? If so, we want to meet you. MousePlanet is looking for established writers to cover new areas of the Disney universe, including the international Parks and Resorts.

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Expect large crowds this week. Touringplans.com can help you avoid falling into the typical tourist pitfalls, and help you avoid the dreaded tour groups with our per-park Crowd Calendar, Lines – Mobile Wait Times App that gives access to current and estimated wait times for attractions, and Touring Plans detailing the best plan of attack for hitting the attractions. Now, more than ever, it's a good time to subscribe to TouringPlans.com to plan your strategy to avoid the crowds!

Below are the predicted resort-wide crowd numbers for select days generated by the TouringPlans professional statisticians as measured for the upcoming week. For the access to the full year and per-park crowd level predictions, visit our Crowd Calendar.

Date

Overall

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

7/10

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

7/10

Thursday, July 3, 2014

8/10

Friday, July 4, 2014

9/10

Check out the Disney World Park Crowd Levels page on TouringPlans.com for park-specific predictions and recommendations on which days to visit and avoid particular parks!

Wednesday is the best day to visit the Magic Kingdom.

The resort crowd level on Saturday will be 6 out of 10.

Following a Touring Plan is important when crowd levels spike at the park you're visiting!

If you participate in (or are considering signing up for) runDisney events, visit our Team MousePlanet forum on the MousePad discussion board, where you can join our community of health-minded readers and staff.

As reported in July, some refrigerators in non-Disney Vacation Club rooms at Walt Disney World are being replaced due to a product defect. All Walt Disney World Resort rooms with the exception of DVC Villas, the family suites at the Art of Animation and All-Star Movie resorts, and the cabins at Fort Wilderness are impacted. Disney says "the schedule for replacing the refrigerators at these Resorts is expected to last several months."

In the interim, if you have a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel and need a refrigerator for medical reasons, we recommend contacting your resort directly to inquire about availability during your trip. The hotel should be able to arrange for one if your room does not yet have a new refrigerator, but supplies may be limited while they work to replace all of the malfunctioning units.

Polynesian – Never Land Club Children's Activity Center closed for refurbishment through January 1, 2015.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Walt Disney World Resort Update. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the intended audience. Check out the category that best matches you, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

Discounts for Everyone

2014 Free Dining offer for general public

Sue from Small World Vacations reports the general public can book a free dining package for specific dates beginning Wednesday, May 7.

Offer details:

2014 Vacation Dates

August 31 – October 3

October 26 – November 1

November 9 – November 20

December 12 – December 23

Free Quick Service Plan

Book a Magic Your Way vacation package for a minimum of three nights with at least two days of theme park tickets at select Disney Value Resorts to receive Disney's Quick Service Dining Plan for free. Visitors can upgrade to a Table Service Dining Plan for less than $20 per night for adults and less than $5 per night for children ages 3 through 9.

Value Resorts included:

Disney's Pop Century

Disney's Art of Animation Suites

Disney's All-Star Music Resort

Disney's All-Star Sports Resort

Free Table Service Dining Plan

Book a Magic Your Way vacation package for a minimum of three nights with at least two days of theme park tickets at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas Resorts to receive Disney's Basic Table Service Dining Plan for free. An upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan is available for less than $50 per night for adults and less than $11 per night for children ages 3 through 9.

Moderate and Deluxe Resorts included:

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney's Contemporary Resort

Disney's Grand Floridian & Spa Resort

Disney's Polynesian Resort

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts

Disney's BoardWalk Inn

Disney's Beach Club Villas

Disney's BoardWalk Villas

Disney's Bay Lake Tower

Disney's Old Key West Resort

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas.

Offer Restrictions

Advance reservations required

All guests staying in the same room must add theme park tickets to their Magic Your Way package. Tickets may include park hoppers, water parks & more and/or no expiration options.

Visitors can receive up to a 30 percent discount when making a room only reservation at the Walt Disney World Resort on most arrival days from August 16 through October 3. Offer exclusions include all of Bay Lake Tower, the Grand Floridian & Spa Villas, and the Art of Animation Little Mermaid Rooms.

Memory Maker pre-arrival discount

Disney's PhotoPass service provides a discount on Disney Memory Maker pre-arrival packages. For $149 plus tax, Walt Disney World guests can digitally download any photos associated with their Memory Maker account, including photos taken on attractions. The advanced purchase price is a $50 savings. Applicable taxes are charged to all orders.

Special offer only available from this link, and must be made more than three days prior to arrival at the Walt Disney World Resort. All sales are final, and not eligible for an exchange or refund.

Discounts for Annual Passholders

Save up to 30 percent* on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Disney released a number of summer travel discounts covering arrivals between August 16 and October 3, 2014. They are tiered by resort and length of stay, with a 5 percent bonus for stays of 6 nights or longer. Book through August 8, 2014.

Save up to 15 percent at Disney's All Star Music Resort, Disney's All Star Sports Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort (August 16 through August 28); Disney's All Star Movies Resort (August 29 thorugh October 3); The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort (August 29 through October 3)

Save up to 10 percent at Disney's Art of Animation Family Suites (August 16 through August 28)

Discounts for Disney Rewards VISA & Debit Card Holders

2014 Free Dining Offer for Disney Rewards VISA & Debit Card Holders

Sue from Small World Vacations reports the Disney Rewards VISA and Debit Card Holders can now get a free dining discount when booking a qualifying Walt Disney World vacation package.

Offer details:

2014 Vacation Dates

August 31 – October 3

October 26 – November 1

November 9 – November 20

December 12 – December 23

Free Quick Service Plan

Book a Magic Your Way vacation package for a minimum of three nights with at least two days of theme park tickets at select Disney Value Resorts to receive Disney's Quick Service Dining Plan for free. Visitors can upgrade to a Table Service Dining Plan for less than $20 per night for adults and less than $5 per night for children ages 3 through 9.

Value Resorts included:

Disney's Pop Century

Disney's Art of Animation Suites

Disney's All-Star Music Resort

Disney's All-Star Sports Resort

Free Table Service Dining Plan

Book a Magic Your Way vacation package for a minimum of three nights with at least two days of theme park tickets at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas Resorts to receive Disney's Basic Table Service Dining Plan for free. An upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan is available for less than $50 per night for adults and less than $11 per night for children ages 3 through 9.

Moderate and Deluxe Resorts included:

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney's Contemporary Resort

Disney's Grand Floridian & Spa Resort

Disney's Polynesian Resort

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts

Disney's BoardWalk Inn

Disney's Beach Club Villas

Disney's BoardWalk Villas

Disney's Bay Lake Tower

Disney's Old Key West Resort

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas.

Offer Restrictions

Advance reservations required

All guests staying in the same room must add theme park tickets to their Magic Your Way package. Tickets may include park hoppers, water parks & more and/or no expiration options.

Disney Visa cardholders receive 20 percent off the non-discounted price of selected guided tours for up to 10 people. The cardholder must participate in the tour, and pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card. Tours included:

Disney Visa cardholders receive 10 percent off at participating Disney-owned retail location when you spend a minimum of $50 and pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card (be sure to request the discount). Read all of the restrictions on the Disney Visa website.

Free 5x7 character photo at a private meet and greet location at Epcot

Present your Disney's Premier Visa Card or Disney Rewards Visa Card for access to a private character meet and greet at Epcot for the cardholder and up to 5 guests. The event is hosted daily from 1pm to 7pm inside Innoventions West at Epcot. You'll receive one free 5 x 7 character photo per day.

Discounts for Florida Residents

Save up to 35 percent* on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Disney released a number of summer travel discounts covering arrivals between June 15 and August 28, 2014. They are tiered by resort and length of stay, with a 5 percent bonus for stays of 6 nights or longer. Book through June 6, 2014.

Discounts for U.K. Residents

2014 Free Dining offer for U.K. residents

2014 Free Dining offers for U.K. residents have been released. From the information posted on the Virgin Holidays website, it appears the 2014 program offers free Quick Service Dining Plan plan when booking at a Moderate resort, and free Dining Plan when booking at Deluxe resorts, Old Key West or Saratoga Springs. There are also offers for a free $200 Disney Gift Card and/or a 14-day ticket for the price of a 7-day ticket depending on travel dates. These particular offers are valid for U.K. residents only.

MousePlanet® is not associated in any official way with the Walt Disney Company, its subsidiaries, or its affiliates. The official Disney site is available at www.disney.com. This MousePlanet Web site provides independent news articles, commentary, editorials, reviews, and guides primarily about the theme park resorts of the Walt Disney Co. All information on this site is subject to change. Please call destinations in advance to confirm the most up-to-date information.